Wholly Foods: Massaman Curry

I went to a Thai place in Knoxville this past weekend and I think half of the table ordered massaman curry...this seems like a great recipe complete with directions as to how to make the curry paste. As I look at the photo I also think I need to find a way to get fresh curry leaves. Where do they grow? How easy would they grow? All things I wonder but far to lazy to research myself. Enjoy anyway!

Massaman Curry: "

I was inspired to cook this curry for the January edition of No Croutons Required. The theme was Thai soups and salads, and I contributed a Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup. To go along with the meal, I also prepared this Massaman Curry with fresh Massaman Paste. I spent many hours in the kitchen that day, as I also made my own Nam Prik Pow Sauce to go into the mushroom soup. It was certainly worth the effort and the meal was enjoyed with friends.

I adapted the dish from Thai Vegetarian Cooking by Vatcharin Bhumichitr. According to the introduction that precedes the recipe, this Southern Thailand dish is influenced by the flavours of Islamic cuisine and very closely related to many popular Indian curries. I substituted fried paneer cheese for tofu with excellent results.

Massaman Curry

2 tablespoons of sesame oil
1 small clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of Massaman Curry Paste
1 can of coconut milk (398 ml / 14 ounces)
2/3 cup of dry roasted cashews
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
200 grams of paneer cheese, cubed and fried in oil and evenly browned
2 large shallots, chopped
juice from one small lemon
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 teaspoons of sugar

Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium large pot. When hot, add the garlic and stir and fry for a few minutes. Add the curry paste, stir and then add the coconut milk and stir well to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for roughly 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just cooked and the sauce thickens.

Serves 4